A Precious Gift

Lily Flynn has made it her life’s ambition to escape the coal-mining town of her birth. She wants more than the existence her mother and sisters have settled for. She paid her way through college, got a job, and now her deepening relationship with Hayes Dexter seems to indicate her future is bright. However, can she stifle her vivacious personality in order to fit Hayes’ image of the perfect woman; especially when his daredevil cousin, Connor Page, encourages her to be herself with him?

Connor is drawn to Lily from the moment he meets her. Yet she seems determined to remain with his cousin despite the intensity of the connection they seem to share. Resigned that this is one woman that will get away, Connor contents himself with developing a friendship with Anya Serverind while continuing his quest towards climbing Mt. Everest.

However, these four individuals are irrevocably connected and as events transpire, their hearts, dreams, and ambitions will be tested as they must decide whether the most precious gift in life comes from money or the heart.

A Precious Gift is touching romance that will illicit a range of emotions from the reader. There are moments of laughter, passion and heartache that will stir readers’ senses and emotions. The characters within the story are diverse and create a compelling myriad of situations. The main characters are Lily and Connor; however, the dynamics that Anya and other family members introduce into the story make them key players as well. The emotions of the characters are very realistically portrayed. They are not perfect, yet in the end readers understand who they are and perhaps what drives them. The timeline for this romance spans longer that most traditional romances, yet the author uses this time to let the characters mature and to ensure that readers come to know and understand their motivation. There are stops along the way for poignant scenes where Ms. Hunter showcases the realism of her characters and involves the reader from start to finish in the plot. The depth of this story was a refreshing read and ensures that this reader will be looking for more works by Liz Hunter.

Reviewed by: Amanda